Pretentious VS Academic: Musings on Being A Paid High-Art Blogger
I got a job. I know, I should really stop claiming JSA. But I'm signing off next Wednesday anyway and it seems unwise to disrupt all our notes and paperwork for the sake of a few quid. I'm down-playing. I'm scared. I resent being in this position. I am grateful I have recovered from my work-related nervous breakdown.
I got a job. A paid writing job. A freelance writing gig. I've been interviewing artists with PhDs about their work. It's pretty high-concept and for each person it's followed a similar pattern:
ME *on first google*: Wow, this artist looks really, really pretentious. What even is this? I don't understand at all. Am I just stupid? Or does this just not mean very much? I shouldn't be getting paid for this, it's too high-concept. I'm not smart enough.
- Half an hour passes -
ME: Oh wow, this work is actually REALLY INTERESTING. I feel so inspired and I really think I'm following what they're trying to do. God, so this is the standard of work that you can make at the artist PhD level? Look at this, look at what they're doing. I must tell everyone.
- Starts to write interview questions -
- Half an hour passes -
ME: Okay, okay, phew. It's just high-concept and academic. No wonder. But, but I think I've got it. I hope these questions aren't too stupid. Oh I wish I understood this wider subject area better so that I could pitch some thought-pieces or go and review some work (although that would incur travel expenses and who knows if they've got the budget for that). This work is so unstable. I am so worried about their business model. What if their funding gets cut? Why am I worrying about this? Ultimately, doing this work at all is good for my business bank account balance and good for my professional recovery. Thank you to this artist and this project. What a relief.
I am so nervous about going back to art college. Can I do a PhD? Can I even do a masters? Can I be an academic? It certainly seems a safer place to be than at the whim of the art market, or really at the whim of markets of any sort. But isn't it funded by lying to undergrads (and masters students)? Isn't it a bubble based on loans everyone is going to default on? Or is the solution to make sure I pay my student loan back?
Maybe I don't understand business and should stop worrying about it.
I am so glad I have this job.
.Ana
I got a job. A paid writing job. A freelance writing gig. I've been interviewing artists with PhDs about their work. It's pretty high-concept and for each person it's followed a similar pattern:
ME *on first google*: Wow, this artist looks really, really pretentious. What even is this? I don't understand at all. Am I just stupid? Or does this just not mean very much? I shouldn't be getting paid for this, it's too high-concept. I'm not smart enough.
- Half an hour passes -
ME: Oh wow, this work is actually REALLY INTERESTING. I feel so inspired and I really think I'm following what they're trying to do. God, so this is the standard of work that you can make at the artist PhD level? Look at this, look at what they're doing. I must tell everyone.
- Starts to write interview questions -
- Half an hour passes -
ME: Okay, okay, phew. It's just high-concept and academic. No wonder. But, but I think I've got it. I hope these questions aren't too stupid. Oh I wish I understood this wider subject area better so that I could pitch some thought-pieces or go and review some work (although that would incur travel expenses and who knows if they've got the budget for that). This work is so unstable. I am so worried about their business model. What if their funding gets cut? Why am I worrying about this? Ultimately, doing this work at all is good for my business bank account balance and good for my professional recovery. Thank you to this artist and this project. What a relief.
I am so nervous about going back to art college. Can I do a PhD? Can I even do a masters? Can I be an academic? It certainly seems a safer place to be than at the whim of the art market, or really at the whim of markets of any sort. But isn't it funded by lying to undergrads (and masters students)? Isn't it a bubble based on loans everyone is going to default on? Or is the solution to make sure I pay my student loan back?
Maybe I don't understand business and should stop worrying about it.
I am so glad I have this job.
.Ana